Biswabrata Goswami
KRISHNAGAR, 16 DEC: Kalyani University has removed Prof. Partha Sarathi De from his position as the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Commerce, citing allegations of inappropriate comments against the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Amalendu Bhuina, and an alleged delay in facilitating a promotion process.
In an official order (No. PRS/Misc./DAC/485/2024) issued on 16 December, 2024, the university registrar, Prof Debansu Ray announced the revocation of Prof. De’s appointment as Dean. The order stated that the decision was made to protect the university’s academic integrity and reputation. The removal took effect immediately.
The controversy erupted after an email from Prof. De, dated 11 December, 2024, to the university registrar came to light. In the email, Prof. De informed the administration of his inability to attend a Selection Committee meeting scheduled for 12 December, alleging that the meeting was deliberately fixed by the Vice-Chancellor in his absence.
“I presume that the said meeting will not be completed without the presence of the Dean, Faculty of Arts and Commerce, and the composition of the Selection Committee will not fulfill the purpose. It reflects a special interest for a particular applicant (out of a number of other applicants) from the part of the present Vice-Chancellor,” Prof. De wrote in his email.
The university administration viewed this statement as an affront to the Vice-Chancellor and detrimental to the institution’s prestige. Consequently, a show-cause notice was issued to Prof. De, demanding an explanation by 12 noon on December 16. However, Prof. De failed to respond, prompting the university to revoke his appointment as Dean.
The matter is reportedly linked to the promotion of Ms. Debalina Debnath, an Assistant Professor in the Folklore Department, who was seeking elevation to the post of Associate Professor under the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS). Sources claim that Prof. De had delayed the constitution of the necessary Selection Committee for the promotion, prompting the university to form the committee independently.
The Vice-Chancellor reportedly scheduled the 12 December meeting to address the long-pending promotion, but Prof. De’s absence and subsequent email raised allegations of bias and procedural impropriety.
Speaking to the , Prof. De accused the Vice-Chancellor of acting vindictively on his last day as the interim head of the university. “The Vice-Chancellor conducted the selection process with such utmost interest that I raised a protest through an end-to-end encrypted email. However, he took vindictive action against me,” Prof. De claimed.
The university has remained firm in its stance, stating that the decision was necessary to uphold the institution’s dignity and ensure smooth functioning.
This development has stirred widespread debate within academic circles, highlighting concerns about governance, transparency, and internal conflicts within universities.
Tags : #KalyaniUniversity #Dean #Folkrore #Remove #Misconduct
